Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.

Sci (2014) 3(3): 389-401

389

Original Research Article
Allelopathic potential of Silybum marianum and its
utilization ability as a bio herbicide
M.A.Elhaak
1*
, Mohsen K.H.Ebrahim
2
, Fatma Elshintinawy
3
and H.Mehana
1
1
Botany Dept., Fac. Science, Tanta University, Egypt
2
Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi
Arabia, Permanent: Botany Dept., Fac. Science, Tanta University, Egypt
3
Department of Biology Faculty of Science Taif University KSA Permanent: Botany Dept., Fac.
Science, Tanta University, Egypt
*Corresponding author

A B S T R A C T
Introduction
There is evidence that certain weeds
species have the potential to be used in
solving problems of other weed species
and represents an excellent source of
ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 3 (2014) pp. 389-401
http://www.ijcmas.com

Ke ywor ds

Silybum
marianum;
phenolic
compounds;
wheat;
allelopathy.
The wheat (Triticum astivum) cultivars; Saka93, Saka61 and Gmiza9 grains are from Sakha
research center. While seeds of its six common weeds (Vicia sativa, Avena fatua, Phalaris
minor, Trifolium resupinatum, Euphorbia heliscopia, Malva parviflora) inaddition to
Silybum marianum plant samples were collected from the wheat fields at Al-Garbia
Governorate, Egypt during the flowering and fruiting stages. Distilled water and 0-80%
ethanol and acetone concentrations as cold or hot at 70-90 C were used to

extract the
phenolic compounds of S. marianum plants parts. Results indicated that extracted amount
of phenolic compounds from the seeds, flowers, leaves, and stem of Silybum marianum by
cold and hot acetone > ethanol > water with a highest from plant flowers and a lowest from
plant stem. Cold acetone extracted greater phenolic compounds than the hot one giving it
the priority for using while hot ethanol or water extracted the highest phenolic compounds
compared with their cold ones. Linear and significant relationship was between extracted
phenolic compounds from the different plant organs and acetone or ehanol concentrations.
Gimiza 9, Sakha 61 and Sakha 93 wheat cultivars exhibited significantly different
germination percentages due to the different extracts of Silybum marianum organs. The
germination percentages of the three wheat cultivars were slightly or not affected by the
different plant extracts. Meanwhile, ethanol extracts completely inhibited the germination
of phalaris seeds while leaf extract did the same and completely inhibited the germination
of Vicia and Malva. Acetone extract especially for leaf, flowers and seeds of Silybum
marianum plant in both 20and 30% concentrations completely inhibited the germination of
the studied weeds seed. Other plant organs (root and stem) acetone extracts had reduced
the germination of the weeds seed especially those of Phalaris. However, Silybum
marianum plants have an allelopathic effect for wheat crops and weeds in the field and
severely on the accompanied weeds. Study suggests the use of extracts from Silybum
marianum plant, especially cold acetone, as a save natural biological herbicide.

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 389-401
390

natural chemicals that may be involved in
developing natural herbicides (Qasem and
Foy, 2008). Milk thistle (Silybum
marianum Gaertn.) is a winter annual or a
biennial noxious weed belonging to
Asteraceae (Young et al., 1978; Austin et
al., 1988; Groves and Kaye, 1989). Its
current distribution includes most
temperate areas of the world including
Australia (Chambreau and MacLaren,
2007). In Australia, it is classified as a
declared plant (noxious weed) and
particularly prevalent in Victoria and New
South Wales, where dense stands can
develop on soils of high fertility (Dodd,
1989). It is a major weed in sugar beet
wheat and canola (Brassica napus L.)
causing large yield reductions (Khan and
Marwat, 2006; Shimi et al., 2006).
However, researches have documented the
allelopathic effect of milk thistle on
mustard (Brassica juncea L.), cucumber
(Cucumis sativus L.), wheat, and sorghum
(Sorghum bicolour L.) (Inam and Hussain,
1988).
Milk thistle known as Silybum marianum
(L.) Gaertn., a member of the family
Asteraceae. In older literature, as well as
some modem European works, it is cited
as Carduus marianus L.. Over the years,
several other plants have been referred to
as milk thistles, but authorities now
reserve that common name for this
species. Also, it must not be confused with
the blessed or holy thistle, which is Cnicus
benedictus L., an entirely different plant,
although the similarity of the religiously
inspired common names is confusing.
Members of this genus grow as annual or
biennial plants. The erect stem is tall,
branched and furrowed but not spiny. The
large, alternate leaves are waxy-lobed,
toothed and thorny, as in other genera of
thistle. The lower leaves are cauline
(attached to the stem without petiole). The
upper leaves have a clasping base. They
have large, disc-shaped pink-to-purple,
rarely white, solitary flower heads at the
end of the stem. The flowers consist of
tubular florets. The phyllaries under the
flowers occur in many rows, with the outer
row with spine-tipped lobes and apical
spines. The fruit is a black achene with a
white pappus.
S. marianum is by far the more widely
known species. Milk thistle is believed to
give some remedy for liver diseases (e.g.
viral hepatitis) and the extract, silymarin,
is used in medicine. Mild gastrointestinal
distress is the most common adverse event
reported for milk thistle. The incidence is
the same as for placebo. A laxative effect
for milk thistle has also been reported
infrequently. Milk thistle, also known as
the Marian, St. Mary's, or Our Lady's
thistle, is a tall herb with prickly leaves
and a milky sap. Milk thistle is native to
the Mediterranean region of Europe but
naturalized in California and the eastern
United States.
Habitat and Genus of milk thistle
members
Native to the Mediterranean, grows wild
throughout Europe and is widely
naturalized in California and Australia.
Milk thistle thrives in open areas. Also
cultivated as an ornamental plant, milk
thistle prefers a sunny position and self-
seeds readily. The flower heads are picked
in full bloom in early summer. Seeds are
collected in late summer. Milk thistle fruit
consists of ripe seed of S. marianum (L.)
freed from the pappus, and its preparations
in effective dosage. The preparation
contains silibinin, silydianin, and
silychristin. Milk Thistle seeds were
consumed by European wet nurses to
insure a healthy milk supply. The heads of
this Thistle formerly were eaten, boiled,
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(3): 389-401
391

treated like those of the Artichoke. Milk
Thistle seeds help stimulate protein
synthesis in the liver. They even can help
reverse the damage done from eating
poisonous mushrooms or from carbon
tetrachloride, which destroy liver cells and
usually cause death. When Milk Thistle
seeds are used within 48 hours, the
survival rate is almost 100%. When fed to
animals that had partial hepatectomies,
their livers grew back more quickly. Milk
Thistle is a good supplement to use to
protect the liver when needing to take
pharmaceutical drugs.
The erect stem is tall, branched and
furrowed but not spiny. The large,
alternate leaves are waxy-lobed, toothed
and thorny, as in other genera of thistle.
The lower leaves are cauline (= attached to
the stem without petiole). The upper
leaves have a clasping base. They have
large, disc-shaped pink-to-purple, rarely
white, solitary flower heads at the end of
the stem. The flowers consist of tubular
florets. The phyllaries under the flowers
occur in many rows, with the outer row
with spine-tipped lobes and apical spines.
The fruit is a black achene with a white
pappus.
Only two species are currently classified
in this genus: Silybum eburneum Coss. &
Dur., known as the Silver Milk Thistle,
Elephant Thistle, or Ivory Thistle Silybum
eburneum Coss. & Dur. var. hispanicum
Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner, the
Blessed Milk Thistle, which has a large
number of other common names, such as
Variegated Thistle.
A number of other plants have been
classified in this genus in the past but have
since been relocated elsewhere in the light
of additional research. S. marianum is by
far the more widely known species. It is
believed to give some remedy for liver
diseases(e.g. viral hepatitis) and an extract,
silymarin, is used in medicine. The
adverse effect of the medicinal use of milk
thistle is loose stools.
The present study conducted to evaluate
and determine the germination of the
commonly cultivated wheat cultivars and
the associated weed under different
extracts concentration of the different
plant organs of milk thistle. The study also
aimed to determine the photo toxicity and
stability of milk thistle under heat
treatment.

Materials and Methods
The present study was carried out at
Botany Department, Faculty of science,
Tanta university, Egypt. Grains of three
types of wheat (Triticum astivum)
cultivars; Saka93, Saka61 and Gmiza9
which under taken for the present study
are from Sakha rseach center. Also, seeds
of the six common weeds associated to
wheat (Vicia sativa, Avena fatua, Phalaris
minor, Trifolium resupinatum, Euphorbia
heliscopia, Malva parviflora) were
collected from the wheat fields at Al-
Garbia Governorate, Egypt. While
samples of Silybum marianum were also
collected from naturally growing plant at
those wheat fields at Al-Garbia
Governorate, Egypt during the flowering
and fruiting stages of the plant. We
separated samples into the main plant parts
(roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds).
S. marianum samples extraction
Three extracts were prepared by using
three different solvents (Distilled water,
Ethanol 80%, Acetone 80% ) each extract
was carried out under cold and hot at 70-
9o C

and solvents was added to the dried
powder of S. marianum plants parts,
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392

shaken will, and leaved 2hours for hot
extract and 24 hours the cold ones. Then
all extracts were filtrated with Whatman
filter papers no. 2. The ethanol and
acetone solvents were evaporated by using
rotatory evaporator and the produced dried
extracted materials dissolved in the
suitable amounts of distilled water and
completed to a definite volume and this
solution was considered as the 100
percentage. Hot and cold-water extracts
were completed to a similar volume by
adding distilled water and this water
solution was also considered as 100
percentage. The 100% extracts
concentrations were adjusted to be 5g per
100ml water, then two dilutions of this
extracts (20% and 30%) are prepared by
dilution with distilled water.
Germination experiment:
The extracts were applied on Wheat
cultivars grains and the weeds seed as
irrigation by the different extracts and
different concentrations for several times
during germination period, (two weeks)
whenever needed. The grains and seeds
germinated in Petri dishes and observed
for percentage of germintion for two
weeks. When we could not observe any
additional germination experiment
stopped. All experiments occur at room
temperature. Control experiment has
distilled water instead of plant extracts.
The germination percentages were
recorded daily until the end of the
experiment, after two weeks.
Chemical analysis
Total phenolic content was estimated in
each part of Silybum marianum plant.
Total phenolic were estimated
quantitavely using the method described
by Jindal and Singh (1975). A known
weight (0.5g) of the dried tissues of each
plant part (root, stem, flower and leaves)
was extracted by 95% ethanol three times.
The clear supernatants were combined and
completed to a known volume . Then 1ml
from this extract was mixed with 1 ml
foline reagent and 1 ml NA
2
CO
3
(20%),
then completed to a known volume with
distilled water .Thereafter, the absorbance
was measured at 650 nm after 30 minutes.
A standard curve was prepared by using
different concentrations of pyrogallol as
the previous procedure and used for the
determination of the total phenolic
compounds content (mg/g dry mass) in the
plants.
Statistical analysis
The result were statistically analyzed using
two ways analysis of variance (ANOV) to
determine the F test, LSD at 0.05 level
and the degree of significance for the
obtained variations by different extract
solvent, solvent concentration and their
interactions. Also, correlation and
regression coefficients were applied for
investigating the significance of the
relationships between the studied
variables. All of statistical methods were
according to the method described by
Bishop(1983), while the analysis was
carried out by SPSS statistical package .
Results and Discussion
Effect of solvent characteristics on
phenolic compounds extraction
Solvents of different basic capacities as
acetone, ethanol and water were used to
extract the phenolic compounds of the
different plant organs of Silybum
marianum plant dry powders. The
solvents applied as cold or hot and on
different concentrations .
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393

Effect of solvent type:
Silybum marianum plant organs dry
samples were extracted by each acetone,
ethanol and water. The represented data in
Figure (1) indicates that acetone extracted
a greater amount of the phenolic
compounds from the seeds, flowers,
leaves, and stem of Silybum marianum as
a cold extract. Ethanol followed acetone
in th amount of extracted phenolic
compounds, while water came after them
and extracted the least amount of phenolic
compounds from the different organs of
Silybum marianum.
The highest extracted amounts of phenolic
compounds by cold acetone were from the
plant flowers followed by seeds while the
lowest ones extracted from the plant stem.
It is also important to note that the amount
of extracted phenolic compounds by the
cold acetone was greater than that amount
extracted by the hot acetone fom
thedifferent organs of Silybum marianum.
On the opposite the hot ethanol and water
extracted a remarkable high amount of
phenolic compounds in comparison with
the cold ethanol or water solvent.
However, hot water extract more than
double amount of stem phenolic
compounds in comparison with the cold
water. Each of cold and hot ethanol and
water extracted higher amounts of the
phenolic compounds from Silybum
marianum plant flowers Silybum
marianum and the least from the plant
stem.
Effect of solvent concentration
An increasing concentration of both
acetone and ethanol solvents from 0 to
80% was used to extract the phenolic
compounds from the different organs of
Silybum marianum plant. The mean of
the extracted phenolic compounds from
the different plant organs (Fig. 2) showed
a progressive increase in the extracted
amount of phenolic compounds with the
increase in the concentration of both
acetone and ethanol solvent. The
relationship between concentration of both
solvent and the amount of extracted
phenolic compounds was linear and
significant as indicated by the R
2
values of
the regression equation. Acetone
extracted greater amount of phenolic
compounds from the plant in comparison
with ethanol, especially at high
concentrations as also indicated from the
slopes of the regression equation of the
relatinship.
The represented data in Figure (3)
indicated that hot acetone and ethanol 80%
concentration extracted the highest amount
of phenolic compounds from the different
Silybum marianum plant organs. Also,
this concentration (80%) of the cold
acetone and ethanol extracted the highest
amounts of phenolic compounds from the
different plant organs except from the
stem where 60% concentration of cold
acetone extracted that highest amount
followed by 80% concentration. All of the
used solvent concentrations extracted high
amounts of phenolic compounds from
Silybum marianum flowers in comparison
with the extracted amounts from the other
plant organs.
Germintion of wheat
The germination of the three commonly
cultivated wheat cultivars in the Nile Delta
in Egypt followed for studying the effect
of the extracted phenolic compounds from
the different organs of Silybum marianum
by the different solvents. The extracted
phenolic compounds from the plant organs
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394

by the most extractable solvent, cold
acetone and hot ethanol, applied in two
concentrations (20 and 30%) and were
used on the grain of the wheat cultvars.
The three wheat cultivars (Gimiza 9,
Sakha 61 and Sakha 93) showed
significantly different germination
percentages after treatment grains with
both cold acetone and hot ethanol
solventsfor phenolic compounds of the
root, stem, leaves, flowers and seed of
Silybum marianum plant extracts (Table
1). The germination percentage of the
wheat cultivars showed 100% germination
percentage under the control (water).
Also, increasing concentration of ethanol
extract of the different organs of Silybum
marianum led to more inhibition in the
three wheat cultivars grains percentage of
germination. The least germination
percentages were exhibited 20and 30% of
Silybum marianum leaf extracts.
Germination percentages (70,70), (40,20)
and (40,40) were for Gimiza9, Sakha 61
and Sakha 93respectively showing
effectiveness of the used extract
concentrations on Sakha 61in comparison
with the other two cultivars which showed
no differences.
On using acetone extracted phenolic
compounds from the different organs of
Silybum marianum, the percentage of the
grains of the three studied wheat cultivars
decreased significantly (Table 1). The
least germination percentage was 30% and
was for Gimiza 9 grains and by extract of
Silybum marianum leaf. The increase in
extract concentration from 20 to 30% did
not led to a recognized inhibition in the
germination percentage. In both Sakha 61
and 93the least ger4mination percentages
were 40 and 70% by 20% leaf extract and
60 and 70% by 30% stem extract
respectively.
Germination of weeds
The seeds of common weeds in the wheat
fields Vicia sativa, Malva parviflora, and
Phalaris moir germination percentages
were greatly affected by the treatment with
ethanol, acetone and water extracts of the
different Silybum marianum plant organs
(Table 1).
Water extract of the different organs of
Silybum marianum led to 100% of the
Malva seeds germination percentage,
while water extract of Silybum marianum
flowers and seeds completely inhibited the
germination of phalaris seeds. Leaf water
extract inhibited seed germination of Vicia
and phalaris to 40%. Water extract of the
other plant organs of Silybum marianum
did not show any remarkable effect on the
germination of the three weeds.
Ethanol extracts of the different organs of
Silybum marianum completely inhibited
the germination of phalaris seeds while
leaf extract did the same and completely
inhibited the germination of Vicia and
Malva. The increase in ethanol extract
from 20 to 30% of the different plant
organs led to more inhibition in the
germination of the three weed seeds.
Acetone extract especially for leaf, flowers
and seeds of Silybum marianum plant in
both 20and 30% concentrations
completely inhibited the germination
percentage of the three studied weeds
seed. Other plant organs (root and stem)
acetone extracts had reduced the
germination of the three weeds seed
especially those of Phalaris.
The weeds influence the crop plants by
releasing phyto toxins from their seeds,
decomposing residues, leachates, exudates
and volatiles (Narwal, 2004). Weeds can
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395

Fig.1 The variation of extracted phenolic compounds content by hot or
cold acetone, ethanol and water

Fig.2 The variation of extracted phenolic compounds content by the
different concentrations of acetone and ethanol
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396

Fig.3 The variations of extracted phenolic compounds content by hot or cold acetone, ethanol
and water from the different organs of Silybum marianum.

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397

Table.1 The variations in the germination percentages of some wheat cultivars and weed
species under the effect of water, acetone and ethanol extracts of
Silybum marianum different plant organs
acetone ethanol
Species Parts water
20% 30% 20% 30%
CONTROL

100 100 100 100 90
ROOT 100 100 100 100 70
STEM 80 100 90 100 100
LEAF 60 90 60 100 100
FLOWER 70 100 80 100 100
GMIZA 9
SEED 90 100 80 100 90

CONTROL

100 100 100 80 100
ROOT 100 100 90 100 90
STEM 100 90 80 100 100
LEAF 100 40 40 100 90
FLOWER 80 90 80 100 90
SAKA 61
SEED 90 90 70 100 80

CONTROL

100 100 100 90 100
ROOT 100 100 90 100 100
STEM 100 90 80 100 100
LEAF 100 70 60 100 90
FLOWER 90 100 90 100 90
SAKA 93
w
h
e
a
t

c
u
l
t
i
v
a
r
s

SEED 90 80 90 100 80
CONTROL

80 100 100 90 100
ROOT 80 0 0 60 50
STEM 100 0 0 100 90
LEAF 40 0 0 40 0
FLOWER 80 0 0 90 0
VICIA
SATIVA
SEED 100 0 0 70 0

CONTROL

100 100 100 100 100
ROOT 100 0 0 100 100
STEM 100 0 0 40 0
LEAF 100 0 0 10 0
FLOWER 100 0 0 10 0
MALVA SP
SEED 100 0 0 10 0

CONTROL

100 100 100 80 80
ROOT 40 0 0 60 60
STEM 70 0 0 70 20
LEAF 10 0 0 50 40
FLOWER 0 0 0 10 0
PHALARIS
MINOR
W
e
e
d

s
p
e
c
i
e
s

SEED 0 0 0 0 0

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398

also affect a crop s growth by releasing
allelochemicals into the growing
environment (Rice 1984; Kadioglue et al.,
2005). Phenolic compounds are the most
important secondary product that affects
other plants growth in their environment
(e.g. Kohli, 1998). Acetone, ethanol and
water as basic solvents used to extract the
phenolic compounds from the different
organs of Silybum marianum plant dry
powders in cold or hot concentrations
indicated that acetone extracted a greater
amount of the phenolic compounds from
the seeds, flowers, leaves, and stem of the
plant as a cold extract. Ethanol followed
acetone and extracted a remarkable
amount of the plant phenolic compounds
while water came after them as it extracted
the least amount of phenolic compounds
from the different organs of Silybum
marianum. This will indicate to the
inhibition capacity of the extraction of the
three solvent to the germination of plants
and gave acetone extraction the highest
capacity. In addition, stability and level of
phytotoxicity or allelopathic capacity of
milk thistle vary with methods for extract
preparation and solvent or media as
suggested by Shamima and Asaduzzaman
(2012) . The highest extracted amounts of
phenolic compounds by cold acetone were
from the plant flowers followed by seeds
while the lowest one was from the plant
stem. Exhibition of different
allelochemicals of the different plant
organs was also found by many authors (e.
g. Aziz et al. 2008). Veenapani (2004)
reported that various parts of weeds show
different behavior in exerting their
allelopathic effects on crops. It is also
important to note that the amount of
extracted phenolic compounds by the cold
acetone was greater than that amount
extracted by the hot acetone from the
different organs of Silybum marianum. On
the opposite the hot ethanol and water
extracted a remarkable high amount of
phenolic compounds in comparison with
the cold ethanol or water solvent.
However, hot water extract more than
double amount of stem phenolic
compounds in comparison with the cold
water. Each of cold and hot ethanol and
water extracted higher amounts of the
phenolic compounds from Silybum
marianum plant flowers Silybum
marianum and the least from the plant
stem. All plant parts of the weed
including leaf, stem, root, and fruit have
different amounts of allelochemical (Alam
and Islam, 2002; Tinnin and Muller,
2006).
The concentration of both acetone and
ethanol solvents was critical in the
extraction of phenolic compounds.
However, mean of the extracted phenolic
compounds from the different plant organs
showed a progressive increase in the
extracted amount of phenolic compounds
with the increase in the concentration of
both acetone and ethanol solvents with a
linear and significant relationship.
Acetone extracted greater amount of
phenolic compounds from the plant in
comparison with ethanol, especially at
high concentrations.
The hot acetone and ethanol at 80%
concentration extracted the highest amount
of phenolic compounds from the different
Silybum marianum plant organs while
other concentrations of the used solvents
extracted high amounts of phenolic
compounds from Silybum marianum
flowers.
Silybum marianum grow naturally in the
fields of the three commonly cultivated
wheat cultivars in the Nile Delta in Egypt.
The extracted phenolic compounds from
Silybum marianum plant organs by the
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399

most extractable solvent, cold and hot
acetone, ethanol and water applied in two
concentrations (20 and 30%) affected
slightly the germination percentages of
grain of the three wheat cultvars. The
three wheat cultivars (Gimiza 9, Sakha 61
and Sakha 93) exhibited significantly
different germination percentages due to
the phenolic compounds of the root, stem,
leaves, flowers and seed of Silybum
marianum plant extracts. The water
extracts of Silybum marianum
significantly affected percent of
germination for all of the tested cultivated
and weed species as indicated by
Rahamdad Khan et al. (2011). The
germination percentage of the three wheat
cultivars was 100% under the control
(water) and concentrations of ethanol
extracts of the different organs of Silybum
marianum inhibited differently the
percentage of germination of the three
wheat cultivars grains. The 20 and 30% of
Silybum marianum leaf extracts caused the
least germination percentages for the
grains of the three cultivars. Germination
percentages were reduced (70,70), (40,20)
and (40,40) for Gimiza9, Sakha 61 and
Sakha 93respectively showing
effectiveness of the used extract
concentrations on Sakha 61in comparison
with other two cultivars which showed no
differences. The inhibition in germination
after acetone extracted phenolic
compounds from the different organs of
Silybum marianum, was remarkable and
significant. The least germination
percentage was 30% and was for Gimiza 9
grains and by extract of Silybum
marianum leaf. The increase in extract
concentration from 20 to 30% did not led
to a recognized inhibition in the
germination percentage.
The germination of common weeds in the
wheat fields Vicia sativa, Malva
parviflora, and Phalaris moi r was greatly
inhibited by the treatment with ethanol,
acetone and water extracts of the different
Silybum marianum plant organs. Water
extract of the different organs of Silybum
marianum did not affect the germination
percentages and led to 100% in Malva,
while water extract of Silybum marianum
flowers and seeds completely inhibited the
germination of phalaris seeds. Leaf water
extract inhibited seed germination of Vicia
and phalaris to 40% which is also found
by Shamima and Asaduzzaman (2012) for
canola and ryegrass.
Ethanol extracts of the different organs of
Silybum marianum completely inhibited
the germination of phalaris seeds while
leaf extract did the same and completely
inhibited the germination of Vicia and
Malva. The increase in ethanol extract
from 20 to 30% of the different plant
organs led to more inhibition in the
germination of the three weed seeds.
Acetone extract especially for leaf, flowers
and seeds of Silybum marianum plant in
both 20and 30% concentrations
completely inhibited the germination
percentage of the three studied weeds
seed.
Other plant organs (root and stem) acetone
extracts had reduced the germination of
the three weeds seed especially those of
Phalaris. The previous data may indicate
to use the extracted phenolic compounds
from Silybum marianum plant as a save
natural biological herbicide as also
suggested by many authors as Kohli
(1998) who reported that these natural
plant products may provide clues to new
and safe herbicide chemistry or growth
hormones development. The data showed
also, that the effective parts of Silybum
marianum are considered a waste as plant
leaves and flowers.
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400

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